25 Biggest Home Renovation Mistakes from HGTV

If you’ve been through a major home remodeling job you probably have a list of things you’d do different the next time. For those contemplating a home renovation the folks at HGTV asked their expert builders and designers for their top renovation mistakes to watch out for. They came up with a list of 25 problems to keep your eyes open for. Here’s a few of my favorites:

24. Buying Cheap Materials – There are times when you should go cheap and times not to go cheap. Home renovations are one of the times you want to consider paying up for quality. We have another post on the life expectancy of 25 common household items which illustrates that many of the things that you put in your house will last for 25-50 years, so you can amortize the cost over a much longer time horizon.

22. Inaccurate Measurements – Make sure the builders are measuring twice and cutting once on everything. A successful renovation depends on precision. We have a vaulted cieling that doesn’t quite line up because our builder got the measurements wrong.

11. Building Narrow Doorways & Stairs – There will come a time when you need to move something big into your home like a sofa or bed and you’ll be praying for an extra inch or two.

3. Hiring the Wrong Contractor – This is probably the most critical step in your home remodeling process. You’re going to be working with this person for several weeks or months. Plus, the best remodeling plans are often updated during the project and you want someone who is going to be fair and not use it as a chance to hold you over a barrel.